Factors which may affect the overall safety of an infant in a crib include the height of the crib measured from the ground surface in the event that the baby falls from the crib; mechanical or structural failures (i.e., if a structural member in the crib should fail, the infant may fall from the crib or otherwise be injured); positional asphyxiation wherein the infant may suffocate if positioned in an area of the crib where breathing is difficult; suffocation between components if the infant should become caught between the components of the side rails of a crib; a child climbing on top of bumper pads within the crib may escape from the confines of the crib, which may result in injury to the child; a child may become trapped between the mattress and the mattress support and sustain injuries; and allergic reactions may arise if latex materials are used.
It is against this background that embodiments of the present invention were developed.